Cairns’ next ‘Big Thing’ could be the Big Boomerang, after contentious Captain Cook statue removed

An Indigenous artist believes he has just the thing which could fill the void of the controversial Captain Cook statue months after it was removed. Check out his plan here.

A FAR North man is calling for a new statue to fill the void of the Captain Cook statue as an act of reconciliation months after it was removed.

Artist Munganbana Norman Miller created a big boomerang as part of the Cairns Festival Parade at the weekend and said it could be a new feature for Cairns.

“Now the Captain Cook statue, which was in the list of Australia’s big icons, has been removed from Cairns, it is important, as a tourist city, that we get another big icon,” he said.

“So my boomerang is the next big thing. It is 5.5m wide and about 3m high. Either this boomerang or one the city comes together to build, could be it.”

Mr Miller said he would keep the boomerang at the Munganbana Reef and Rainforest Aboriginal Art Gallery.

Cairns artist Munganbana Norman Miller wants Cairns' next big thing to be the big boomerang, and has reached out to council to feature his big boomerang in a prominent public space. Picture: Brendan Radke

“It was made for the parade to get the city interested in the project. It is important because in all the big icons around the nation, none represents Aboriginal heritage,” he said.

“Indigenous tourism is a big drawcard for Far North Queensland. I am hoping that the people of Cairns, the council, the Queensland government, businesses and of course, our First Nations People, will be excited and get behind this project.

“We need to get a committee together to work on this project of the Next Big Thing or the Big Boomerang as the big icon for Cairns.”

Mr Miller said this would be a win for cultural tourism.

“The next Big Thing or big icon is a tourist attraction. We have the Big Gumboot, the Big Pineapple, the Big Banana, the Big Prawn,” he said.

“Now we need the Big Boomerang. I think it will showcase Cairns and draw visitors to our wonderful city.”

Workers cutting the Captain James Cook statue on Sheridan Street, Cairns on Tuesday May 24, 2022. Photo: Matthew Newton.

This isn’t the first time Mr Miller has tried getting a big boomerang installed. In 2017 he called for the same idea, but this time he has actually created a demo.

Division 5 Councillor Amy Eden said Cairns definitely needed a new monument and had been in consultation with some community members.

“Maybe something that highlights the gateway to the reef,” she said.

“We want to be the art and culture capital of northern Australia so we need to have a more public display art and cultural heritage that reflects demographic.”

Cr Eden said she had not yet seen Mr Miller’s suggestion but was open to more ideas.

“We need something Instagrammable, a landmark that is iconic in representing Cairns.”

Originally published as Cairns’ next ‘Big Thing’ could be the Big Boomerang, after contentious Captain Cook statue removed